AMD FX-8150 "Bulldozer" CPU Review - PAGE 1

The wait is finally over! No more delays, no more teasing, no more slow-rolls. AMD's Bulldozer is here, and the eagerness of Neoseeker's readers to know how it performs can be felt throughout the network. Why has the wait been so long? AMD has designed Bulldozer from the ground up, and thus it is not simply the follow up to the K10 core like the Llano is. In contrast, Intel's Sandy Bridge has been in talks since 2005, but was revealed to be a mere evolution from the previous series. Six years for a simple upgrade!

The new Bulldozer architecture sounds rather promising based on what AMD has already said about it. The question is, does it actually deliver? In 2006, Intel abandoned its Netburst architecture used since the beginning of the new millenium by releasing the Core architecture, which was derived from 1995's Pentium Pro instead. Will Bulldozer be doomed to a similar destiny? Will it have heat and power consumption problems? Neoseeker's review aims to find out how the first iteration of the new architecture stands - and if it is a viable future.

What's interesting to note is that the Bulldozer architecture is being launched for both the server and desktop markets. In fact, the same dies are being used to manufacture the Zambezi, Valencia and Interlagos processors, which are the desktop, 1-2 socket and 2-4 socket platforms respectively. Can Bulldozer really cater to both markets, though? Its performance in consumer applications will be the deciding factor.

Looking at the specifications, the FX-8150 chip reviewed today seems rather well equipped; this newcomer makes for the first eight-core in its target market. AMD says it has been designed for higher frequencies, and the numbers seen here speak for themselves. The large 16MB of L2 and L3 cache is also quite promising; in previous articles, it became quite clear that the Phenom II's 6MB of L3 cache gave it the edge over the Athlon II. It is also important to remember that with Bulldozer, the modular unit is now comprised of two cores; unlike the previous processors where each individual core could be disabled and and later unlocked, it is now done in pair of two cores, or one module.

The FX-8150 is not the only model that's being launched; as with earlier chips, AMD has played with the number of cores and frequency. It is unknown yet if the disabled modules can be unlocked.

Specifications and diagrams are courtesy of AMD.